Tube lamp mountings



Dec. 20, 1955 E. E. GERSTNER 2,727,982

TUBE LAMP MOUNTINGS Filed June 23 1950 Cad/a5 8H Mad/Mafia,

United States Patent TUBE LAIVIP MOUNTINGS Elmer E. Gerstner, FortAtkinson,

Thomas Industries Inc.,

Wis., assignor to a corporation of Delaware This invention relates toimprovements in tube lamp mountings, and more particularly to a mountinghaving a retractable socket cap.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a tube lampmounting or holder having a retractable socket cap to alternativelyexpose or conceal the lamp socket, or such portions thereof as need tobe exposed for tube lamp replacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube lamp mountinghaving a retractable socket cap which is so mounted on the lamp bracketthat manipulation of the cap may be accomplished independently of thesocket and without disturbing the wiring or the position of the socket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube lamp mountinghaving detent means acting between the movable cap and the mountingbracket whereby to releasably position the cap in selected positionsrespecting the bracket and socket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube lamp mountinghaving a movable socket cap which may be selectively advanced to coverthe mounting socket and engaged tube lamp prongs whereby to lock thetube in the mounting and prevent accidental separation of the tube fromthe mounting.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tube lamp mountingwith a laterally adjustable socket whereby minor lateral manipulation ofthe tube may be accomplished without disturbing the electricalconnections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cooperative set of lampmountings, one of said mountings being provided with a concealed socketwith encircling cap and the other of said mountings being provided witha socket and with a cap which is reciprocable thereupon and which has aretracted position to expose the socket for manipulation of the tube andwhich is movable to an advanced position concealing the socket andprotectively encircling the base of the tube.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tube lampmounting having a bracket with mounting portions and an extensiontherefrom to support the tube at an angle with the supporting surface.

Other objects will be more apparent to one skilled in the art upon anexamination of the following disclosure.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a medicine cabinet with attachedtube lamp mountings embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 22 ofFig. 1 with the lamp removed.

Fig. 3 is an axial cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 7through a tube lamp mounting embodying the invention, the cap beingadvanced to position on its mount to conceal the socket.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the top tube mounting shown in Fig. I, the capbeing retracted to expose the socket.

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the bottom tube mounting shown ice in Fig. lwith the cap in socket concealing position and illustrating amodification of the cap mount.

Fig. 6 is a front view of a tube lamp mounting embodying the invention.

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 88 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a section taken along the line 99 of Fig. 8.

The tube lamp mounting or holder comprises a bracket 10 of channel shapehaving a closed front panel 11 with ornamental and strengthening ribs 48as shown in Fig. 6, and a normally open back as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.The bracket is optionally provided with a rear closure 12 having flanges13 fitting between the top 14 and bottom 15 of the bracket. As bestshown in Figs. 2, 7 and 8 the front panel 11 of the bracket is ofirregular contour and is shaped near one end to provide a non-planiformseat or saddle 19 in which the tubular cap 18 rides.

The saddle 19 is provided with a central aperture 20 (Fig. 3) whichreceives a fixture or tubular sleeve 21 or 22 which may have either ofthe forms shown in Fig. 7 or Fig. 8. In either case the fixture 21 or 22is provided with a flange 23, 24 disposed within the cap 18 and I whichengages the inner aperture margins 27 of a socket bracket 28. The socketbracket 28 (Fig. 3) carries a conventional tube lamp socket 29 having aside opening 30 giving access to the electrical spring contacts 31 (seeFig. 2).

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 8 the fixture 22 is threadedalong the greater portion of its length and is provided with a lock nut32 which acts against the inner surface of saddle 19 to hold the cap,socket and bracket in one unitary assembly.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 7 the fixture 21 is providedat its end opposite the flange 23 with a shoulder 33 which acts as aseat against which a compression spring 34 acts to yieldably bias thecap and socket into frictional contact with the saddle. As best shown inFig. 4 the side wall of cap 18, if it is to be adjustable, is providedwith a longitudinal slot 35 through which the fixture 21 extends andupon the side margins of which the socket bracket 27 coacts under thebias of the spring 34 to releasably hold the cap in selected positionsrespecting the bracket. The cap 18 may slide frictionally, laterally ofthe bracket and axially of the socket 29 to selectively expose orconceal the socket.

The retracted position of the cap is best shown in Fig. 4 Where afragment of a tube lamp 39 is shown with its prongs 38 free to bemanipulated into the socket 29. In Figs. 3 and 6 the cap is shown in itsadvanced position in which the socket is concealed and if the tube lampis in position in the socket, the body of the tube lamp is Securely heldin position against accidental displacement.

in order to define selected positions of the socket respecting thebracket, the socket and bracket are provided with detent meanspreferably comprising interengaging ribs and grooves. The ribs areindicated generally as 40 on the cap and the grooves are indicatedgenerally as 41 on the bracket. In the embodiment illustrated, threeinterengaging ribs and grooves are provided to permit five separateadjustments of the cap respecting the bracket. The spring 34 will biasthe ribs into engagement with the grooves at any selected position andit merely requires light finger pressure to disengage the cap from thebracket to change cap position so as to retract or advance the cap uponthe socket.

The wiring 44 or 45 is led to the socket through internal bores 42, 43in the respective fixtures. Because of the independent movement of thecap 18 the fixture and the socket remain relatively stationary duringthe manipulation of the cap. Consequently, the cap is adjusted Withoutdisturbing the wiring or the socket and long troublefree adjustableoperation of the retractable cap is made possible.

In the tube lamp holder shown in Figs. 5 and 8 the nut 32 holds the capfirmly in position and it is not contemplated that the cap be retracted,all manipulation being made at the upper mounting shownin Fig. 4.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 9, the bracket 10 is provided with a fiatmounting portion or wall 49 having a central opening 59 to receive amounting nut and bolt assembly 51 and is further provided with smallerapertures 52 at either side of the central opening to receive thewiring. The mounting wall 49 is disposed at an angle with the rear wall12 of the bracket so that upon mounting the bracket against a flatsurface, such as wall 53 of the medicine cabinet indicated generally as54 in Fig. l, the bracket will carry the sockets and engaged tube 39outwardly from the wall and at an angle therewith. Thus the lamp tube isbrought forwardly of the mirror 55 to more directly light the subjectand to prevent shadows being cast upon the subject by the edges of themirror.

In the preferred paired arrangement the tube lamp holder shown in Fig. 5is used at the bottom of the cabinet and the tube lamp holder shown inFig. 4 is used at the top of the cabinet, only the top cap 18 beingadjustable. In this arrangement the tube lamp 39 is inserted in the lampholders by retracting the top cap, engaging the lower prongs of the tubein the bottom socket and then manipulating the tube so as to pass itsprongs into the side opening 30 and to engage the upper prongs with thetop socket. The top cap 18 may then be advanced to conceal the socketand hold the tube. in removing the tube lamp 31 these operations areconsecutively reversed. In this manner the tube lamp 39 is securelysupported and confined by the bottom socket and cap during manipulationof the tube. It is, of course, entirely possible to make both top andbottom caps 18 retractable if desired.

The particular configuration of the bracket 10 is of importance in themounting of the bracket and supported tube lamp as shown in Fig. 2.While the back 12 of the bracket may be substantially planiform, thefront panel 11 of the bracket is desirably concave and the end saddle 19in which the cap 18 is seated is also concave. The end wall 49 remotefrom saddle 19 is obliquely related to the back wall 12. The obliquestructure of the end wall 49 requires the bracket to carry its saddleand tube lamp forwardly of the mirror 55 of the medicine cabinet. Theconcave wall 11 of the bracket tapers the bracket from the relativelywide saddle 19 to the narrow end wall 49, thereby permitting the mirror55, in its I closed position, to normally extend laterally of the sidewall 53 of the cabinet without interfering with the forwardly extendingbracket.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it is readily appreciated that an improved tube lamp holderhavinga socket cap reciprocable on its mounting is provided. In oneposition the cap is advanced to conceal the socket and encircle the tubeto prevent its accidental or inadvertent separation from the holder. Ina different position the cap is retracted sufiiciently to permitmanipulation of the tube for replacement purposes and the like.

In addition the socket mount is provided with a novel spring biasedfixture which cooperates with the cap to hold it in various positions ofadjustment and which maintains the wiring and the socket in fixed andprotected position independently of socket cap movement. Furthermore,the spring biased fixture arrangement permits lateral adjustment of thesocket in the cap during tube manipulation to facilitate insertion andremoval of the lamp. The novel bracket construction permits effectivepositioning of the tube lamps on either side of a medicine cabinet so asto most effectively utilize the light therefrom and to present anornamental and attractive appearance.

I claim:

l. A tube lamp mounting comprising a bracket, a lamp socket mounted infixed position with respect to said bracket, electrical wires from saidsocket to said bracket, a tube lamp cap, means for mounting the cap onthe bracket for reciprocating movement thereon between a retractedposition relatively exposing the socket and an advanced positionrelatively concealing the socket, said socket remaining fixed duringsuch movement to leave the wiring undisturbed, said means comprising afixture between the bracket and socket, said cap having a slot throughwhich said fixture extends, and detent means between the bracket and capto selectively fix the position of the cap respecting the bracket.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the detent comprises interengaging ribsand channels on said cap and bracket, said mounting being furtherprovided with resilient means for releasably holding said ribs andchannels in engagement.

vided with a non-planiform surface adjacent the fixture for guidedseatin contact with the cap.

4. In a fixture, a bracket adapted to be mounted in fixed position andprovided with a wire for supply of electric current, a wire protectingmember extending from said bracket, a lamp receiving member apertured toreceive the wire protecting member, said protecting member beingprovided with connections to said bracket and to said lamp receivingmember to provide for adjustment therebetween, and a lamp socket in saidlamp receiving member fixed to said wire protecting member independentiyof said lamp receiving member, whereby wire connections to said socketand extending through the wire protecting member from the bracket arenot disturbed by the adjustment of saidlamp receiving member respectingthe socket and bracket.

5. A tube lamp mounting comprising a bracket having a seat, a tubularcap having a connection with the bracket on which it is axially slidableon said seat, and a socket mounted against axial movement on saidbracket, said cap having a plurality of positions on said seat includinga position in which the socket is exposed and a position in which thesocket is housed by the cap.

6. The device of claim 5 in which the cap connection and socket mountingcomprises a single fixture having fixed connection with the socket andsliding connection with the cap, said fixture comprising a conduit forwiring leading to the socket.

7. The device of claim 5 in which the bracket comprises a channel havinga back and an end obliquely related to said back.

8. The device of claim 6 in which said fixture is provided with a seatand with resilient means mounted between said Seat and said bracket tofrictionally engage the cap with the bracket.

9. The device of claim 8 in which said bracket and cap are provided withinterengaging ribs and grooves com prising a detent, said detent'beingreleasable against the bias of the resilient means to permit relativemovement between the cap and bracket.

10. A lamp bracket comprising a planiform rear wall, a concave frontwall, a concave end wall and a planiform end wall obliquelyrelated tosaid rearwall, said concave front wall being tapered from said concaveend wall to said planiform end wall, said planiform end wall beingprovided with means for mounting said bracket from the side of a cabinethaving a mirror extending beyond the end wall and toward the concavefront wall.

11. A- socket enclosing tube lamp mounting for a tube lamp having endprongs receivable into the socket in a.

movement transverse to the tube axis, said mounting comprising a brackethaving a wall with an aperture and a cap retaining fixture extendingthrough said-aperture in a direction transverse to the tube axis, asocket mounted onsaid fixture inrelat-ively stationary positionwithrespect to the bracket, a tubular cap adapted to enclose the socket,

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the bracket is pro-- and meansincluding said fixture for mounting said cap for reciprocatory movementon the axis of the tube lamp between a retracted position in which thesocket is ex posed for reception of the tube lamp end prongs and anadvanced position in which the end of the tube is confined.

12. The device of claim 11 in which said fixture is tubular, said socketbeing provided with electrical wires extending through said tubularfixture to said bracket and protected by said fixture notwithstandingmovement of the cap.

13. The device of claim 11 in combination with resilient means biasingthe cap into frictional engagement with the bracket wall during thecourse of said reciprocatory movement to impositively lock the cap inits respective positions of adjustment.

14. The device of claim 13 in which said cap is provided with an axialslot, the margins of the cap about said slot being impositively confinedto the bracket wall under pressure of said resilient means.

15. A tube lamp mounting comprising a bracket, a lamp socket mounted onthe bracket, a tubular socket cap and means mounting said cap on thebracket for sliding movement along its tubular axis to and from socketenclosing position, said means comprising a fixture on which the socketis fixedly secured, said cap having means slidably connected with saidfixture.

16. The device of claim 15 in combination with resilient meansimpositively connecting said cap and fixture whereby to impositivelylock the cap in selected position in the course of its sliding movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,829,328 Andersen Oct. 27, 1931 2,109,341 Rebl Feb. 22, 1938 2,201,543Maerz May 21, 1940 2,301,238 Alm NOV. 10, 1942 2,345,982 Manchan Apr. 4,1944 2,488,677 McCann Nov. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 625,117 GreatBritain June 22, 1949

